Emperor's Reapers
The Emperor's Reapers Space Marine Chapter is a loyalist crusading chapter of the Adeptus Astartes that loosely follows the dictates of the ''Codex Astartes''. This ancient and venerable Chapter can supposedly trace their lineage back to the 2nd Founding, which took place following the end of the Scouring, seven years after the end of the dreadful Horus Heresy. However, the validity of such claims has been difficult to verify due to the passage of millennia, lost records and human error. It is unknown exactly whose lineage this mysterious Chapter is actually descended from, but rumour and conjecture continues to abound amongst Imperial scholars. Extant reports from various battles across the galaxy, indicates that the Emperor's Reapers excel in close-quarters actions, often utilising a wide variety of close-range weapons, ranging from chain weapons, power weapons and even power scythes. This bygone (and often shunned weapon) is utilised exclusively by the chapter, one in which the Emperor's Reapers use as its primary weapon, above chain blades or other melee power weapons. Chapter History The bellicose and mysterious Emperor's Reapers Chapter, are an enigma for which there are no easy answers. The more one delves into the extensive, and oftentimes contradictory, history of the Chapter, only seems to turn up more questions than answers. What is known with absolute certainty is that the Emperor's Reapers are infamous for their relentless assaults in siege and trench warfare and specialise in the extensive use of terror tactics. Once unleashed against an enemy, they absolutely will not stop their assaults until all their foes are all slain by their hands or by the sharpened blades of their deadly scythes. Another point of fact, is that this Chapter tends to make extensive use of a variety of various marks of power armour, and can often be seen wearing different patterns, ranging from the ancient Mark III 'Iron' pattern to the advanced Mark VIII 'Errant' pattern. Which First Founding Space Marine Legion they are sired from remains a mystery, though some Imperial scholars speculate that they are perhaps the scions of one of the two Lost and Forgotten Legions or made from Loyalist elements of Traitor-stock. The only other clue of the chapter's true origins is that they have a tendency to idolise their chapter's founder, who was a hero that fought during both the Great Crusade and Horus Heresy eras, and whose name is now lost to the passage of time. Notable Campaigns *'The Scouring Crusade (021-022.M31):' After the chapter was founded the chapter went on a crusade to hunt down and kill existing remnants of the Traitor Legions that still resided within the Materium. *'The Battle of Furious (026.M31):' Not long after their inception, the Emperor's Reapers Chapter faced off against their first, and most formidable opponents - the Sons of Horus - the vile Traitor Legion of the Arch-Traitor Horus, that led half the Legiones Astartes in open rebellion, and nearly saw the destruction of the Imperium. In the aftermath of their failure to conquer and subjugate Terra, the Traitor Legions had fled for the refuge of the infamous tear in reality, known as the Eye of Terror. However, due to circumstances, some elements of the Traitor Legions had either been cut off by Loyalist forces during the subsequent era of reciprocity, known as the Great Scouring, or were stationed in isolated or far reaching locations. In some cases, many of these detachment elements did not receive word for a number of years, that Horus had been killed and his rebellion had subsequently failed. Cut off from their Legions and forced to fight for their own survival, in their rage, many of these Traitor Legion elements sought out their destinies or conducted their own wars of vengeance against the hated Imperium. One such world that felt the wrath of the Traitors, was the Imperial world of Furious Prime. A large Sons of Horus warband fell upon the unsuspecting world, which was still reeling from the wars of the Age of Darkness less than a decade earlier. The Heretic Legionaries cut a bloody swathe across the war-ravaged world, bombarding major industrial centers and launching ground assaults to slaughter whole cities. Sending a desperate Astrotelepathic communique, their prayers were answered in the form of the merciless and unforgiving Emperor's Reapers Chapter, which fell upon the Traitor forces with righteous indignation. Nearly a year of bloody conflicted lasted between the opposing forces, which culminated in the last surviving Traitor Legionaries being executed by the Emperor's Reapers in a gruesome manner. Using their trademark power sickles, the vengeful Astartes sliced the limbs off the fallen Legionaries before having their vital organs cut out of their bodies and displayed in a grim display. With their enhanced transhuman physiology, they slowly bled out over a manner of weeks, until finally, they expired. Their organs were then scattered across the planet - a grim reminder and a dire warning to those who would dare turn from the light of the Emperor. *'Ulandius Slaughter (033.M31):' The Emperor's Reapers continued their war of reciprocity against the Traitor Legions which had turned from the light of the Emperor over a century earlier. When the crusading Chapter came upon the dead world of Ulandius, they encountered the planet in the thrall of a large contingent of Word Bearers Traitor Legionaries. The vengeful Chapter immediately launched a planetary assault upon the Traitor's position. Caught unawares, the Word Bearers suffered moderate casualties initially, but soon began to rally and launched a counter-attack against the servants of the 'False Emperor'. Calling upon their malefic powers, they summoned a host of daemonic allies from the Immaterium, and proceeded to engage the Emperor's Reapers in a deadly cat-and-mouse game, where both forces eventually became locked into a stalemate after eight brutal and bloody months of neverending conflict. The Emperor's Reapers sustained heavy losses during the fighting and faced prospect of inevitable defeat, but they were determined to take as many of their foes with them, into death. Salivating at the meal to come, the Word Bearers and their daemonic allies surrounded the doomed Loyalist Chapter, and prepared to launch their final assault. However, unknown to the Traitor Legion, the Emperor's Reapers had sent an astrotelepathic request for aid (albeit, reluctantly) and received assistance in the form of the Terra's Cockroaches Chapter. Arriving at a most auspicious moment, the newly arrived Chapter launched a devastating orbital strike upon the Traitor's positions. They then proceeded to launch a multi-vectored planetary assault, co-ordinating with their erstwhile allies on the ground. The two Chapters then proceeded to launch a counter-attack that broke the Traitor's final assault. After another four months of constant fighting, the Word Bearers traitor forces finally retreated from the surface of Ulandius and broke the Loyalist blockade and fled into the warp. The Emperor's Reapers however, had sustained nearly 46% losses in their overall numbers, while the Terra's Cockroaches suffered 37% losses. Despite their losses, both Chapters achieved a monumental victory against the Traitors. Both Chapters formed strong bonds of brotherhood during this conflict, and vowed to aid one another whenever the occasion warranted it. *'Cleansing of Forge World Qixes (104.M33):' The forge world of Qixes, located in the Segmentum Obscurus, rebelled against the Imperium and declared their secession. The Emperor's Reapers were tasked with culling out the Traitor elements and to assist loyal tech-priests and their Skitarii legions on the planet that remained loyal to the Imperium. Over the course of the 2 year-long conflict, the Traitor elements were purged from the forge world. *'The Purging of the Astral Hounds (129-134.M33):' In 129.M33, due to unknown reasons, the once-stalwart Astral Hounds Chapter betrayed their oaths of fealty to the Imperium and were quickly declared Excommunicate Traitoris by the High Lords of Terra. The vengeful executioners of the Emperor's Reapers Chapter answered the call-to-arms, and immediately set out upon a crusade against the Renegade Chapter to ensure that they would be utterly annihilated and wiped from the Emperor's sight. Over course of five years, the the Emperor's Reapers hunted down and slaughtered the Heretic Astartes and purged the population of the Astral Hounds home world, without hesitation or regret. Even those that professed to still be loyal to the Imperium, it mattered not. They still met a grisly fate at the hands of the Emperor's Reapers' scythes, which earned the Chapter an infamous reputation for being the Imperium's merciless and brutal executioners. The Chapter tore down the Renegade Chapter's fortress-monastery, chattels and infrastructure of their home world, until nothing remained by piles of rubble and mounds of the dead. No one was spared their wrath. This fell reputation led the Emperor's Reapers to begin to be feared by some of the other more level-headed, Codex Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes. *'The Oxiods Xenocide (175-186.M33):' In 175.M33, the Emperor's Reapers discovered a undiscovered human colony from the Dark Age of Technology that had fallen victim to a xenos race known as the Oxiods. These vile xenos had enslaved the human population for millennia and relegated their human captives as a slave work force and food supply. Enraged by the mere thought of any human being subjected to the whims of alien filth, enraged the Emperor's Reapers with righteous wrath, and the Chapter sallied forth to kill every last one of the xenos present. Over the course of an 11-year long campaign, the Chapter trained the natives in the art of war as the Reapers helped them fight against their oppressors and liberated their planet. Their world was then brought into the fold of the Imperium as members of the Adeptus Mechanicus scoured the newly inducted world for STC fragments. The Reapers claimed their due, since that era has used the world, named Helias, as one of the Chapter's primary recruiting worlds. *'The Iron Guard (001 M34):' Members of the Emperor's Reapers' 7th Company led by Captain Agros teus discovers another world lost since the Dark Age of Technology, but unlike the world of Helias, all traces of the inhabitants show that their cities were abandoned, with no presence of any Dark Age voidcraft and skeletons long decayed. After further exploration the company discovered the world's dark secret - it was, in fact, a prison for the ancient A.I. ('Abominable Intelligence') constructs known as the Men of Iron. They been reactivated during a civil war that took place on the very same planet. Although the survivors managed to seal the Men of Iron away deep underground they are unable to deactivate them. In hope that to avoid the day when this evil automata broke free, Agros seized the initiative and led the charge straight into the prison to wipe them all out. After a deadly battle only one survivor remained, the 2nd Squad's Techmarine Katos Ironbones. Though severely wounded, he managed to make his way back to the planet's surface, clutching the metal skull of the leader of the Men of Iron, and called for help. Fortunately all the equipment and some of the fallen's gene-seed was recovered. Due to the severity of the injuries Katos received during the conflict, his body was interred within a chassis of a Contemptor Pattern Dreadnought. After the Chapter departed the planet's surface, they subjected it to an Exterminatus warhead to ensure that all traces of the malevolent A.I. was wiped from existence. *'Ulandus' Vengeance (089.M34):' Two thousands years after the Ulandus slaughtered a warband of the Word Bearers Traitor Legion, the vile sons of the Daemon Primarch Lorgar returned to the planet to conduct a powerful ritual by attacking several neighboring planets to gather Imperial civilians to utilise in ritual sacrifice. Upon hearing about the warband's return, the Chapter eagerly sallied forth to finish what they started two millennia earlier, to ensure once and for all, that the Traitor Astartes would not escape their wrath. Acquiring the aid of the Ultramarines Chapter who still bore the memories of the Shadow Crusade and the Calth Atrocity during the Horus Heresy, they eagerly joined the Emperor's Reapers on drawing out the enemy forces. Meanwhile, the Emperor's Reapers focused on any fortifications and enemy movements to cull and engage in flanking strikes on the Traitor Astartes. the Ultramarines strike force fought alongside the Reapers during the 6 year long campaign, which finally ended with the eradication of the Chaos warband. In the aftermath, the Imperial planet was decorated with scattered pikes of the decapitated heads of the Word Bearers Heretic Astartes, left as a dire warning on the planet to those that followed the Dark Gods. *'Destruction of the Sun Eaters (200.M36):' During the dreaded Reign of Blood the Emperor's Reapers Chapter engaged and purged many chapters loyal to the Apostate High Lord Goge Vandire. As the vengeful executioners wiped out worlds controlled by the Brides of the Emperor with virus bombardments, the Chapter instead focused on eliminating the other traitor Chapters and to make haste to Terra in a attempt to execute Vandire themselves, but were halted from taken upon in the final campaign by the Sun Eaters Chapter. In a nine-month long skirmish, with most of the Sun Eaters killed, and those that survived having fled for the Eye of Terror, the Chapter discovered that Vandire was killed by his own bodyguard, ending the Age of Apostasy. *'The Voinium Shattering (019 M47):'In 019.M37, a corsair fleet from Cratfworld Wu'thule attacked the fortress world of Voinium III, home to a well-trained Astra Militarum regiment called the 'Imperator's Shield'. Despite holding back the Aeldari forces, they knew they could not hold out forever, therefore, the besieged world sent out an Astropathic distress signal requesting immediate assistance. Their prayers were answered in the form of the Emperor's Reapers, as they were the closest Space Marine Chapter to receive it. In response, they dispatched their Chief Librarian Aterius along with members of the Shroud Company and 2nd and 3rd Companies to help eliminate the xenos threat. After three weeks of conflict, the Imperial forces discovered that the Aeldari were after a lost super weapon (a so-called 'Weapon of Vaul') capable of cracking planets to pieces. Determined to either capture or destroy the archaic weapon, the Shroud Company and 2nd Company intercepted the Aeldari strike force retrieving the weapon while the 3rd Company and the Imperator's Shield Regiment attacked the main Aeldari ground forces in attrition and trench warfare. Despite taking casualties, Aterius slayed the leading Farseer in single combat, claiming the Farseer's weapon and Soulstone as trophies and destroyed the ancient weapon. Unfortunately, the destruction of the weapon started a chain reaction that would shatter the plant. After the Aeldari forces retreated into the webway, the Imperial forces rapidly evacuated the planet before it exploded spectacularly into millions of fragments. *'CLASSIFIED: Unknown Crusade (117.M38):' Details of this particular campaign are locked under Imperial mandate, and what is rumored that the chapter was involved in the extermination of a hostile human empire for a few STC units for the Adeptus Mechanicus. This campaign appears to go unheralded in the Reapers' battle honours as it appears to be something the Chapter prefers to willingly forget. *'The Shielding of Helias (001.M42):' A Tyranid Hive Fleet known as Hive Fleet Temptus invaded the system of the Emperor's Reapers primary recruitment world of Helias. As soon as word reached the Chapter, the entirety of the Emperor's Reapers' Chapter fleet rushed to combat the threat. When the chapter arrived, large portions of the planet and the chapter launched an all-out assault, with the world's Planetary Defence Forces and another Chapter - called the Blood of Vulkan - with the allied chapter evacuating civilians and helping with the Reapers' wounded. In a 10-month conflict with the hive fleet the insatiable xenos were severally weakened and the hive fleet finally retreated, although the Reapers suffered a 15% casualty rate and would have taken decades to return to full-strength until the arrival of the Primaris Space Marines to bolster their ranks. Chapter Beliefs Like most chapters, the Emperor's Reapers hold the tenants of the Imperial Truth in their minds. The cult within the chapter sees them viewing the Emperor as a great warrior and the ultimate harbinger of death, and the Astartes of this Chapter view themselves as His vengeful right hand, thus the reason for painting the battle-plate of their entire right arm, red. Combat Doctrine Tacticians throughout the Imperium have noticed that the tactics of the Emperor's Reapers is eerily reminiscent to that of the ancient XIV Legion - the Dusk Raiders - who would later come to be known by another, more infamous moniker, a name that would echo down the ages - the notorious Death Guard. This similar signature strategy to attack their foes at nightfall, might be a clue as to the true origins of whom the Emperor's Reapers' founders truly are. The Chapter utilises the ancient Albian tactic of conducting an assault as night falls and the gathering darkness shadows their advance across open ground. This is only done, after the Reapers give their foes an ultimatum to surrender or face their wrath, instilling fear and panic in their mortal enemies, as they begin to panic and desert their positions. Once the allotted time has passed, and the sun sets, however, nothing will stay the executioner's hand of the Emperor's Reapers. The Chapter then begins their all-out assault while screaming their battle cries to instill further panic and fear. They then typically launch a full assault comprised of large numbers of devastators, tactical marines and dreadnoughts, to overwhelm their foes with overwhelming numbers and firepower and with little to no regards of casualties, as they charge at their foes in a near unstoppable tide of steel and cerimite. Interestingly, members of the Chapter show an abnormal level of endurance, in that they are able to shake off wounds that would normally kill an average Astartes, thus allowing them to survive longer on the battlefield. When the Reapers take part in trench warfare, the chapter will cut the enemy forces off from supplies and will wait until their enemy's ammunition is near-depleted, so that the Astartes can go for the close-kill or the desperate foe is forced to come to them. Another tactic the chapter is known to utilise is that of terror tactics. They accomplish this by leaving dismembered corpses around in enemy positions to break enemy moral. A noticeable deviation from the codex in that the chapters ranking system is identical to those ranks used during the great crusade. Chapter Gene-Seed Some Imperial savants theorise that the Chapter might be, in actuality, descended from remnants of a Death Guard loyalist Blackshield force that turned against their treacherous former kin, and continued to fight on behalf of the Emperor, despite their former Legion's status as traitors. Possibly, they might have been granted the Emperor's forgiveness for the sins of their former brothers and allowed to continue to exist in the form of newly created Second Founding Space Marine Chapter. But records from this bygone era are very difficult to come by or have been lost due to the passage of time. Or quite possibly, the records of the Chapter's true origins are sealed under Inquisitorial mandate, as the nature of the this Chapter's gene-seed might be deemed controversial and cause a rift with other Chapters of the Adeptus Astartes, should the Reapers' gene-sire be revealed. Whatever the truth, speculation and endless debate still rages amongst Imperial scholars. Primaris Brethren When the returned Ultramarines Primarch Roboute Guilliman returned from his ten-millennia long deathless slumber, he had ensured that the Emperor's Imperium would endure, even in its darkest hour. Prepared for the ultimate contingency plan, the new Lord Commander of the Imperium introduced the genetically superior Primaris Space Marines, the next-generation of Astartes transhuman warriors, that would stand the galaxy's most stalwart defenders. When forces of Guilliman's Indomitus Crusade introduced the new Primaris Marines to the Emperor's Reapers Chapter, they welcomed their new brothers with open arms. Once the Chapter's Apothecaries made some minor neurological alterations to all of their Primaris brethren and ensured their full hypno-indoctrination, only then, did they finally view them as truly being ready to be added to their ranks. Primarch's Curse: Deathless Endurance Despite the Chapter's mysterious origins of its gene-seed, reports indicate that the chapter shows no visible or extreme mutations, although their minor idiosyncrasies seem more biological than physical, seemingly granted the Astartes of this Chapter unusual fortitude, enabling them to survive lethal blows and diseases with little to minor degree of damage. This genetic deviation has even spread to their Primaris brethren despite the 0.1% of such a thing occurring. This greater endurance allows the already formidable endurance of the Primaris Space Marines to formidable levels, akin to that of walking predator tanks. To enhance their Primaris brethren even further, the Chapter's Techmarines have modified the armour of the Primaris Marines with extra amour and integrated melee weapons, primarily deploying these deadly warriors in deadly siege-breaker operations. Notable Members *'Ulgan and Alios Nex:' The 1st company captain and sergeant of the chapters elite unit known as the Shroud. *'Aberius Fezius:' Assault squad Captain of the veteran 1st Company, known for his level head and precision savagery. *'Xandros Ius:' Head Techmarine of the Chapter. *Katos Iron bones: sole survivor of the Iron guard event long sealed in the chassis of a contemptor dreadnaught. Chapter Appearance Chapter Colours The Emperor's Reapers Chapter primarily wears bone coloured battle-plate, with the exception of the sabatons and top of the backpack being painted solid black in colour. The armour of the entire right arm, including the shoulder pauldron, coutre (elbow guard) vambrace and gauntlet, are painted the deep red of freshly spilled blood, which signifies the Chapter's belief that they are the "red right hand" of the Emperor's vengeance. Both poleyns (knee guards) are also painted deep red in colour. The trim of both shoulder pauldrons, as well as the Aquila or Imperialis on the chest guard, are gold in colour. A white coloured squad specialty stenciled upon the right shoulder pauldron indicates an individual battle-brother's assigned combat specialty (Tactical, Devastator, Assault and Veteran). A small white roman numeral stenciled on the inset of the right shoulder pauldron indicates squad assignment. A white roman numeral stenciled on the left poleyn (knee guard) indicates company assignment. The Astartes of this Chapter have been observed wearing high amounts of ancient variants of power armour patterns ranging from Mark III all the way through to the newer Mark VIII patterns and seem to primarily utilise relic Cataphractii and Tartaros patterns of Terminator armour over the standard Indomitus pattern commonly worn by other Chapter's veteran elite. Another noticeable detail of the chapter is how they utilise the various patterns of power armour amongst their Astartes, with Mark VIII 'Errant' pattern armour being reserved for veterans while relic Mark VI 'Corvus' pattern along with ancient Mark III 'Iron' pattern is often utilised by the Chapter's tactical and assault squads. Mark V 'Heresy' pattern is reserved for the use by the Chapter's devastator squads while Mark IV 'Maximus' patterns are utilised by the Chapter's librarians, techmarines and officers. Mark VII 'Aquila' pattern armour is often utilised by the members of the elite 1st Company which bears its own unique colour scheme. Most their battle-plate is painted black. Due to this preference, the members of this elite company have come to be known as the Shroud Company. Chapter Badge The Emperor's Reapers Chapter badge is a large stylised skull with a pair of crossed scythes centered behind it, with the hafts protruding from the skull's mouth, centered upon a field of bone. Chapter Fleet The Chapter fleet of the Emperor's Reapers is known to contain the following starships: *''Tombstone'' (Unknown Class Battleship) - The Tombstone is the personal flagship of the Emperor's Reapers and essentially serves as the Chapter's mobile fortress-monastery. *'5 Battle Barges' *'6 Strike Cruisers' *'2 Gladius Frigates' *'2 Hunter Destroyers' Chapter Relics *''The Harvester'': One of the Chapter's most ancient relics which dates back to the Great Crusade. This venerable weapon takes the form of a master-crafted, custom built, double-bladed power scythe - a weapon passed down from chapter master to chapter master, and is also a symbol of office of the chapter. *''Hounds of War'': Two sets of relic Cataphractii pattern Terminator battle-plate; one which is outfitted with a deadly power claw and the other, a mighty chainfist. *''The Soul Gun'': An ancient archaeotech pistol, the so-called Soul Gun, like a small minority of relics the Chapter has had in their possession, has resided in the Reapers' Chapter Reliquary since before its Founding. This unique sidearm fires a hybrid of bolt rounds coated in a super-heated plasma. When these rounds puncture into a target, it incinerates the unfortunate recipient from the inside-out, leaving nothing but a pile of ash, where the once living target stood. Relations Allies Enemies Notable Quotes By the Emperor's Reapers About the Emperor's Reapers Gallery File:Mad Max.png|Emperor's Reapers Shroud Company Veteran Marine in relic Cataphractii Terminator Armour. File:Mad Max2.png|Emperor's Reapers Shroud Company Veteran Sergeant in relic Cataphractii Terminator Armour. File:Reapers terminator.jpg|Emperor's Reapers Veteran Marine in Indomitus pattern Terminator Armour. File:Reapers chief libarian.png|Emperor's Reapers Chief Librarian. File:Emps Reapers Vet Sgt.png|Emperor's Reapers Veteran Sergeant of the 2nd Company, 1st Tactical Squad, armed with a deadly power sickle and bolt pistol. File:Reapers shroud.jpg|An Emperor's Reapers Shroud (Veteran Marine) of the elite 1st 'Shroud' Company. File:Mad Max 3.png|Emperor's Reapers Tactical Marine File:Alt reaper 2.jpg|Emperor's Reapers Veteran Sergeant Assault Marine File:Death from above .png|Emperor's Reapers Assault Marine File:Emp Reapers Devastator.png|Emperor's Reapers Devastator Marine wielding a Heavy Plasma Cannon. File:PRIEST.png|Emperor's Reapers Priest (Chaplain) File:Reapers libarian.png|Emperor's Reapers Librarian File:Tech support.png|Emperor's Reapers Techmarine File:Reapers MEDIC.png|Emperor's Reapers Apothecary Category:Fleet-Based Chapters Category:Imperium Category:Space Marine Chapters Category:Space Marines Category:Unknown Founding Category:Unknown Geneseed